Motor fuel containing nitriles



Patented Nov. 1, v Q I x i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Victor-Conquest, Chicago, assignor to Armour and o(ilunpany, Chicago, 111., a corporation of No Drawing. Application June 29, 1938,

semi bio. 88,063 v v 4 Claims. (01. 44-9) 7 This invention relates to motor fuels and it both instances the gasoline is improved with re-. comprises a motor fuel of the hydrocarbon type, spect to its knocking tendency.

such as gasoline and kerosene containing a small The lower aliphatic nitriles such as aoeto-nitrlle amount of at least one aliphatic nitrile containing have on anti-knock properties, nor do they help I six or more carbon atoms., in preventing the deposition of carbon in the 5 45 cent of ordinary stearoor palmito-nitrile. In VICTOR CONQUEST. 45

, I have discovered that the addition to gasoline cylinders of an engine. As the molecular weight or kerosene of small amounts, of the order of of the nitrile increases, however, I find a marked 0.01 to 1 or,2 percent of aliphaticnitriles derived development in antl-knock properties. I have, no from higher fatty acids imparts anti-knock propexplanation to offer for the-surprising behavior 10 erties to the gasoline and also tends to preven of the higher aliphatic nitriles asanti-knock sub- 10 the deposition of carbon. stances. The nitrilesare rather active materials All of the nitriles which I add to gasoline in chemically and possibly they aid in the comaccordance with the present invention are solu- .bustion of fuel in some way to prevent detonable in gasoline and can simply be added thereto tion of the explosive charge in the engine. v in about the amounts specified. a 7 My nitriles are also useful in the treatment of 16 There are many nitriles coming within the kerosene to render itmore suitable for internal scope of my invention. These nitriles are usually combustion engine purposes. When treating kermade from fatty acids by reacting thefatty acid osene, I flnd it more'iadvantageous to add about with ammonia in the presence of a dehydrating 1 percent of the cracked nitriles or about 0.7 20 catalyst. Thus, for example, stearonitzile and percent of stearonitrile. In all instances the 20 palmito-nitrile are nitriles correspondingto stearamount of nitrile present will range from a low M lo and palmitic acids. I can use nitriles prepared as 0.01 percent to about 2 percent. If a motor from capric, caprylic, laurlc, myristic'and stearic fuel shows rather slight tendency to knock the acids, and also prepared from the unsaturated more. of the nitrile isnecesSary. fatty acids such as oleic and linoleic. I can also 'Of course various mixtures 'of nitriles each of use nitriles obtained by pyrolitic'ally cracking which contains at least six carbon atoms can be higher fatty acid nitriles such as stearoand used and accordingly in the appended claims I palmito-nitrile. These cracked products are [use the language an aliphatic nitrile material" mostly lower molecular weight fatty acid nitriles, to include both pure single nitriles and mixtures J both saturated and unsaturated, which boil from thereof with other nitriles. 30

40 C. to as high as 360 C. In many instances Having thus described my invention what I a the cracked nitriles are associated with quanticlaim is: v ties of hydrocarbons which are also products of 1. A motor fuel of the gasoline or kerosene type the cracking reaction. Methods of preparing containing a small amount of at least one these cracked nitriles are described in Patents straight-chain aliphatic nitrile having at least 35 2,033,536 and 2,033,537. v twelve carbon atoms.

For example, to an ordinary cracked gasoline 2. Cracked gasoline containing a small amount showing some tendency to knock,'I add 0.5 perof stearonitrile. x cent of a mixture of nitriles obtained from crack- 3. Cracked gasoline containing a small amount 40 ing stearonitrile in liquid phase under pressure. of pal'mitonitrile. 40

The exact composition of this mixture of nitriles 4. A motor fuel of the gasoline or kerosene type is not clearly understood but it will contain containing a small'amount of a straight chain nitriles having from six to about twelve carbon unsaturated fatty acid nitrile having at least atoms. or I can add to gasoline about 0.3 pertwelve carbon-atoms. 

